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I'm planning a cross country (U.S.) trip this summer and wondering about carrying extra gas. Do you carry extra gas? If so, what do you carry it in - and did you need it?

Why do you think you need extra fuel? What parts of the country will comprise this trip? What motorcycle are you riding? How big is that bike's fuel tank? What is its range?

For most motorcycles some cautious thought and a bit of planning is all that is required to obtain fuel almost anywhere in the contiguous 48 states. If you are doing off pavement travel and avoiding towns that might not be the case in parts of the west.

Extra fuel is a double edged sword. You might be able to avoid short stopping a time or two, but at the same time might have the hassle of the fuel container all the time.

But without more details it is hard to tell. As for extra gas - my K75 had an enlarged gas tank - 9 gallons and my R1150R has a 3.5 gallon fuel cell built into an aluminum top box. But those bikes were set up for competitive long-distance rallying like the 11 day Iron Butt Rally.

Some folks carry one or two, 1 liter MSR fuel bottles to get a few extra emergency miles. Others use 1 gallon Rotopax containers.

Whatever you decide, my advice is Keep It Simple and not a hassle.

Paul Glaves - "Big Bend", Texas U.S.A
"The greatest challenge to any thinker is stating the problem in a way that will allow a solution." - Bertrand Russellhttp://web.bigbend.net/~glaves/

And don't do like I've read some people doing and put the fuel container inside a pannier or top box.

I did carry some extra fuel with me last summer. If you have aluminum panniers, there are some nice fuel bottle carriers that can be added to the bike.

If you do your research on your route, you "shouldn't" have any problems. I've had two situations where I could see you'd run into some difficulties. One was when I rolled into a "large" town in Eastern Washington and found there were only two gas stations in town...and the one I was pulling up to had run out of gas 15 minutes earlier. The other was on a stretch of highway that if I didn't fill up early, had enough miles to the next gas station that I would've run out of gas. But planning the route and knowing I needed to fill up the tank prior to getting into that stretch took away any issue.

I planned my daily routes using Google Maps, which will let you easily see the terrain and in Streetview, the view from the road itself. Once I picked out the route, I switched to Bing Maps which will show you the gas stations along your route.

In many miles of touring and cross country travels, I've only carried extra fuel on my eml hack. If I'm rolling, I can empty the stock tank in 110 miles. I've also installed a fuel plus on the hack to monitor consumption and plan my next stop. I don't know the brand of fuel container but it's a little better than a gallon, designed with the features of the european gerry cans and it's leak proof. I only fill it when I know I may be covering a route with a great distance between stations like eastern OR (Burns to Lakeview, 139 miles). If you're sticking to the highways, I can't believe there's a stock BMW that doesn't have the capacity to get from point a to point b. A Harley Sportster with a 1.9 gallon tank is a different story. Good luck with your decision and your travels.

I do not see a need for carrying extra fuel for non-competitive or serious back country rides. Even riding to Alaska does not require carrying extra fuel. When we lived in AK Annie carried extra fuel when she rode the Dalton Hwy on her F650GS single.... she never needed it.

If you must carry it, then I recommend Peg Packers. The fuel is carried low on the passenger foot peg mounts, in a space that is typically not used. They are available in one or two gallon versions, meaning you can carry two or four gallons.

I do not see a need for carrying extra fuel for non-competitive or serious back country rides...

I pulled into a small town in North Dakota for gas on July 4th. My Garmin 595LM showed 4-5 stations there; it sounded like a good place to stop for gas. It was about 4-5 pm. When I pulled in, the town was rolled up. Empty. There were just a couple streets off the main street...which was the only one paved. I went from one end of town to the other in less than a minute and only found one station. The database was listing the two stations, under multiple names and actually at different addresses. On the GPS's database list, it looked like a thriving place. It wasn't.

I pulled up to the oldest gas pumps I've seen in quite awhile. These looked only slightly newer than the pumps I used when I was working my way through college. At least they did take a credit card, because the business was closed up...and I saw no one anywhere. As I was leaving town trying to get ahead of the high winds coming in ahead of a thunderstorm...I saw the only other pumps back about half a block off the road in a dirt parking lot for a farming business. There were no signs for either location. I have no idea if those pumps worked or not.

The road leaving this tiny little town was pretty empty. If I had run out of gas in the middle of nowhere...

I talked to the host at a campground on the North Cascades Highway a few years ago. He told me there were many bikers who got deep into the park, only to find there were no places for gas till you got outside the park at the other end. If you're going to turn around before getting to the other side...you'd better have planned for enough gas to get you back. This campground host was a nice guy and would give them enough gas to get on their way again. If you don't plan...you could find yourself in a bind.

When I first started riding again, I went to a rally down on the Columbia River. A group of us took our bikes on a ride around Mt. Hood. As we are out in the middle of nowhere, one of the riders got into a panic. Her gas gauge didn't work, and she hadn't filled up with gas before leaving. Somehow, since I was the ride leader, I was a fault...not her. After that incident, I carry a tire repair kit and spare gas when I'm leading a group.

You don't need to carry a lot of gas. It's a fire hazard. Less than a gallon is plenty. But at least in my limited experience, I've found it is like insurance. You have it, but hope you never use it.

And don't do like I've read some people doing and put the fuel container inside a pannier or top box.

I did carry some extra fuel with me last summer. If you have aluminum panniers, there are some nice fuel bottle carriers that can be added to the bike.

If you do your research on your route, you "shouldn't" have any problems. I've had two situations where I could see you'd run into some difficulties. One was when I rolled into a "large" town in Eastern Washington and found there were only two gas stations in town...and the one I was pulling up to had run out of gas 15 minutes earlier. The other was on a stretch of highway that if I didn't fill up early, had enough miles to the next gas station that I would've run out of gas. But planning the route and knowing I needed to fill up the tank prior to getting into that stretch took away any issue.

I planned my daily routes using Google Maps, which will let you easily see the terrain and in Streetview, the view from the road itself. Once I picked out the route, I switched to Bing Maps which will show you the gas stations along your route.

Chris

That WAS the plan on the trip to Ak. in July. 3 PSM 30 litre bottles standing upright. The bottles don't leak, please advise why they can't sit in the left pannier of the GS, bungied to the bag enlarger bar, with other soft items up against them and the lid closed as added insurance.

The lion does not even bother to turn his head when he hears the small dog barking.

Extra gas

It's hard to fill the MSR type bottles without getting gas in or on other places than inside the bottle.
I do not have a picture but farm stores and like places that sell chainsaws also sell premixed gas for saws, also have unmixed gas in quart metal cans, not cheap but would work for emergency supply.

It's hard to fill the MSF type bottles without getting gas in or on other places than inside the bottle.
I do not have a picture but farm stores and like places that sell chainsaws also sell premixed gas for saws, also have unmixed gas in quart metal cans, not cheap but would work for emergency supply.

Bringing a funnel with me, I'd read the nozzles won't fit into the psm's. I'm a firm believer in the 6P's and research beforehand. Hence the best reason to be on this forum, the knowledge base is incredible and members have been ever so kind to put up with a newb on questions about both Beemers.

Still would like to hear from other members why I shouldn't be able to carry 3 bottles inside the left pannier held upright with a bungie on either side of the internal extender bar.

The lion does not even bother to turn his head when he hears the small dog barking.

Safety

To answer post 10 two reasons I would not carry fuel inside panniers
Does not take much gas spilled to make everything inside smell like gas
It gets hot inside panniers, if expansion of gas forced any out of storage container into pannier could easily get to that fuel to air ratio that goes boom with a spark.

Along with the other reasons, it doesnít take much to make everything smell like gas. If one of your cases was only tools and other items that really canít absorb the smell of gas, you will be fine.
I always refuel my equipment (gas and diesel) at the end of the day........so I donít have to smell it all day.
I have 2 ďtool tubesĒ mounted on the TW200 with extra gas- used SeaFoam containers. Itís there and no smell or associated contamination.
Give it a try on a day ride using the spare gas and see how you make out.
OM

"You can do good or you can do well. Sooner or later they make you choose." MI5Mod Squad
2009 F800GS 1994 TW200

To answer post 10 two reasons I would not carry fuel inside panniers
Does not take much gas spilled to make everything inside smell like gas
It gets hot inside panniers, if expansion of gas forced any out of storage container into pannier could easily get to that fuel to air ratio that goes boom with a spark.

Correct, thus you don't fill the psm's to the top, you leave room for expansion. 6P's and all that good stuff

The lion does not even bother to turn his head when he hears the small dog barking.

Along with the other reasons, it doesnít take much to make everything smell like gas. If one of your cases was only tools and other items that really canít absorb the smell of gas, you will be fine.
I always refuel my equipment (gas and diesel) at the end of the day........so I donít have to smell it all day.
I have 2 ďtool tubesĒ mounted on the TW200 with extra gas- used SeaFoam containers. Itís there and no smell or associated contamination.
Give it a try on a day ride using the spare gas and see how you make out.
OM

The idea is to fill them, and 40 miles down the road or so, empty them into the tank. Learned that here from another member, thought that was a great idea, that way it's not in the pannier all that long.

The lion does not even bother to turn his head when he hears the small dog barking.

The idea is to fill them, and 40 miles down the road or so, empty them into the tank. Learned that here from another member, thought that was a great idea, that way it's not in the pannier all that long.

Wasnít really what I was thinking. Iím thinking the empty container(s) are going to smell.
OM

"You can do good or you can do well. Sooner or later they make you choose." MI5Mod Squad
2009 F800GS 1994 TW200